Hi. I am new to the GSD community and I am glad that I found you all. I have a question, we recently purchased a 1 1/2 year old male GSD. He is a good dog....most of the time. The lady I purchased him from said that he was good with children. I have a 5 yr old son. Most of the time Niko is good with him, but my son is timid of him because he is so BIG and a couple of times usually when he is laying in front of the door when my son tries to go into the bedroom beside the door he will get up and go towards my son and growl at him. Needless to say this is making me VERY nervous!! I am not sure what to do. Please any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you

I think it should make you very nervous. I will leave others to give advice but I think I would not be keeping this dog for one minute if he is growling at a child. The child must come first.

Nancy

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A GSD should not be growling at a 5 year old and I would not trust this dog with your child.

I totally agree. Take him back, not a match. I'm sorry, that really does suck I have a 5 year old child myself. If a dog I had gotten recently did that I would IMMEDIATELY get it outta here, at the very least, NEVER EVER FOR ONE SPLIT SECOND leave it loose around the child until I could get the dog to a safe place, AWAY from my child.
The damage that can be done in a split second is NOT worth the risk...

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.
- Edward Everett Hale

I think it should make you very nervous. I will leave others to give advice but I think I would not be keeping this dog for one minute if he is growling at a child. The child must come first.

Absolutely!!!!!!!!!!!

Think about it - often the next step to a growl is a snap.

Either get rid of the dog or get pro experienced help right now. Maybe a muzzle anytime the dog is near the child. Unless the dog is in pain from something bsolutely no reason/excuse for an adult GSD toever growl for real at a small child!

Either get rid of the dog or get pro experienced help right now. Maybe a muzzle anytime the dog is near the child. Unless the dog is in pain from something bsolutely no reason/excuse for an adult GSD toever growl for real at a small child!

Tragedy waiting to happen!!!!!

The OP stated the dog would go toward the child while growling... the next step there is not just a snap, it is a full on attack. I wouldn't have that behavior going on for one split second. A little girl was killed here in Topeka last week by a Pitt in a home... this is not something to fool around with.

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.
- Edward Everett Hale

The OP stated the dog would go toward the child while growling... the next step there is not just a snap, a full on attack. I wouldn't have that behavior going on for one split second. A little girl was killed here in Topeka last week by a Pitt in a home... this is not something to fool around with.

Not necessarily an attack, could be a warning not to come any closer. I would not let the dog near the child obviously, but really could not make any specific comments unless I could actually see the behavior myself.

Not necessarily an attack, could be a warning not to come any closer. I would not let the dog near the child obviously, but really could not make any specific comments unless I could actually see the behavior myself.

I'm not claiming to be an expert, it just sounds like a stalking behavior. The dog is going TOWARDS the child, not warning the child not to come closer. It sounded to me like the child was not approaching the dog, the dog was approaching the child.

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.
- Edward Everett Hale

your son is timid of the dog . So he is already stressed , and then the dog gives him good reason to be frightened .

You bought an adult dog , without training , recently, and have not trained him , given him full freedom , while the son, the family are inhibited by the dog. Your son should be able to move around his house , wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom without thinking about hazards .
You either crate the dog whenever he is not being trained, under supervision/control , until you know the dog and he knows his place -- or he goes back. I would opt for the GO BACK , no chances with dogs and kids .

Sounds like a distress sale in the first place . Why did the person sell the dog ?

Carmen

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